STREET PERFORMERS:
One reader wrote: Do know the reason for a small band playing loud music in the evening at Swarthmore and Sunset? Are we becoming a Santa Monica Promenade?
The people the reader referred to was a woman from Culver City and two guys from Santa Monica who were playing on the Village Green.
The three people were told that Village Green is a private park, so they moved across the street and played from the corner at Antioch and Swarthmore, in front of the Historic Block Building that is owned by TOPA.
CROSSWALK ON CHAUTAUQUA:
Resident Lou Kamer was credited by one reader as the man responsible for the increased stripping and signage that alerted motorists of a crosswalk at Chautauqua Boulevard and Corona del Mar.
“I didn’t do it! Really.” Kamer responded to an email from Circling the News.
Kamer reminded CTN that “Some of these improvements go back to the complaint a resident sent to Seleta Reynolds (head of LADOT) regarding the crosswalk.”
In March, CTN wrote (“City Hopes to Remove Pedestrian Crosswalk at Chautauqua and Corona Del Mar”) that a reader had a February 6, 2020 letter from LADOT regarding the removal of an existing crosswalk in Pacific Palisades.
The DOT letter stated: “After some internal discussions, we have decided to remove the existing marked pedestrian crosswalk on Chautauqua Blvd at Corona Del Mar/Vance Street.
“We will post ‘Public Notices’ on both sides of the crosswalk with our office contact information and will collect comments for 30 days prior to removal of the crosswalk as per our Manual of Policies and Procedures Guidelines.
“The plan is as follows: 1. Removal of the crosswalk. Installation of “No Ped Crossing” signs at this location. 2. LADOT Survey Section will conduct a Pedestrian Survey at this location prior to removal of the crosswalk. 3. If there are a significant number of pedestrians using this crosswalk, we’ll work with our Management to install the crosswalk back with the appropriate traffic control devices. 4. If there is not enough pedestrian usage of this crosswalk, then the removal of the crosswalk will become permanent. Feel free to submit your written comments to ladot.westerndistrict@lacity.org. Rudy Guevara, P.E. Transportation Engineer, LADOT Western District Office, Los Angeles Department of Transportation (310) 575-8138.”
Resident Kathryn Waltzer wrote DOT on March 4 and shared her letter with CTN: “We all know that this crosswalk is needed. This is a big walking area, especially on the weekends. If you’re walking from the Huntington, there would be no safe way to cross Chautauqua to access the sidewalk/path to the beach or the canyon, as the sidewalk on the west side ends (on a blind curve) shortly below Corona del Mar. No way either to safely cross to Vance street to walk into the canyon, or to the beach via the Vance stairs.”
“Please keep the crosswalk, and, by adding some flashing reflectors, it would be a plus for all citizens,” Waltzer said.
“Between the Pacific Palisades Community Council and the comments, I got from the community, they decided to fix it instead,” Kamer said and suggested checking with Councilman Mike Bonin’s Transportation Director Eric Bruins.
Bruins said, “My colleague Alek Bartrosouf was the one who made this happen (with LADOT of course). There are no plans for a beacon in that location, but we were pleased to be able to make the striping enhancement and believe it will be much safer than before.”
Kamer has also led efforts to keep the sole path up the hill accessible—it is not paved the entire way.
“Regarding the pathway, residents have been more than happy to have their gardeners trim back a bit further,” Kamer said. “So far, the City is not saying they will fill in the missing sidewalk stretch, but there may be an opportunity for a private/public option. It’s exciting to see things start to come together.”
Why don’t they put a divider at Chautauqua and PCH. I can’t count the many times I have just missed being hit by a car not turning into Channel lane and turning onto PCH!! It is a every day occurrence.